HONG KONG: In a country where living alone is fast becoming the new normal, a boldly named app asking a chilling question “Are You Dead?” has struck a nerve across China, exploding into a viral sensation almost overnight.
The app, known locally as Sileme, has surged to the top of download charts and ignited widespread debate on social media, praised by some as a lifesaving innovation and questioned by others for its blunt, unsettling name.
Designed as a safety net for people who live alone, the app has quickly become a digital companion for students, office workers, and anyone navigating a solitary lifestyle.
Sileme works on a simple but powerful premise: users assign an emergency contact, and if they fail to check in on the app for consecutive days, automatic alerts are sent out a feature many users say offers peace of mind in an increasingly isolated urban world.
The app’s sudden rise reflects a broader social shift. China is now home to an estimated 200 million one-person households, with more than 30% of the population living alone, according to state media a reality that has amplified demand for personal safety solutions.
Riding the wave of viral success, the developers announced they will rebrand the app globally as “Demumu”, a move aimed at appealing to international users. The new name has already appeared on Apple’s paid App Store rankings, where the app currently sits at number two, after briefly claiming the top spot earlier this week.
In a heartfelt message on Weibo, the creators a small, independent team of three developers born after 1995 thanked users for their overwhelming support. “We started as an unknown team,” they wrote, “and never imagined this response.”
With popularity comes pressure. The company has introduced a small subscription fee of eight yuan ($1.15) to manage rising operational costs. On Apple’s App Store, the app is already listed at HK$8, a price many users say is reasonable for the sense of security it provides.
The app’s provocative name, however, continues to divide opinion. While some netizens urged the team not to abandon “Sileme,” others proposed softer alternatives like “Are You Alive,” “Are You Online,” or “Are You There.”
“Maybe some conservative people can’t accept the name,” one user commented, “but it serves a real purpose. It makes people like us living alone and unmarried feel safer and less alone.”
As urban loneliness grows and digital solutions step in to fill the gaps, “Are You Dead?” has become more than just an app it’s a stark reflection of modern life in an age of isolation.
